A random conversation three years ago about a lack of sanitary pads preventing Eastern Cape girls from going to school led to award-winning research at Rhodes University into the problem.
Dr Sharli Paphitis yesterday told the Dispatch a province-wide survey of 1035 Grade 11 girls – from poor rural schools to top private schools – revealed that 22.4% of respondents missed 18 days a year because of stigmas surrounding menstruation.
Although a lack of sanitary pads was a problem among poorer learners, Paphitis said a surprising fact to emerge was that the highest percentage of absenteeism was at former Model C schools.
“The research shows that it is not just economic, but that there is a stigma attached.”
After hearing about the problem three years ago, Paphitis teamed up with three other Rhodes University researchers focused on community engagement, philosophy and psychology to research the rumours and try come up with solutions.
Last night Paphitis, Lindsay Kelland, Catriona Macleod and Ryan du Toit were awarded the Rhodes vice-chancellor’s distinguished award for community engagement, by Dr Sizwe Mabizela.
When they started out, all the group had to go on were oral reports as no actual research had been done into the problem.
“I was shocked when I first heard girls were not going to school because they were menstruating, but it made sense,” Paphitis said.
“I thought, ‘why has nothing been done about this’ – and called a meeting.”
Although projects do exist to try and address women’s access to menstrual products, the researchers decided to look at the problem more holistically. This included surveying schoolgirls on what type of product they preferred (disposables or reusables), how much they spent on these products, if school bathrooms were safe, menstruation taboos and establishing a project with Grahamstown women to make cheap, washable pads able to last five years.
The researchers designed a 14-page survey that was sent to 24 schools across the province and found that girls were not just missing school because they did not have access to products but also because of taboos surrounding menstruation.
These taboos included women keeping menstruation secret as their bodily functions were seen as “dirty”, a fear of asking their parents for money to get sanitary products, getting teased if products did not work properly and their clothes were soiled, and being afraid to ask to go to the bathroom during class.
“The problem transcends economic boundaries, it is not just a problem among rural poor but also at private schools,” Paphitis said.
The study findings, not yet published and given to the Dispatch yesterday, can play a key role in improving gender equality.
Although some pupils suggested cheap silicone reusable tampons that lasted eight years as a solution, the study showed respondents preferred pads.
Almost 40% of respondents said they were restricted from participating in classroom activities when menstruating, while 47.8% said they were prevented from doing sport.
Most also did not feel safe using school bathrooms, with 75.8% at rural schools, 90.3% in township schools, 81% at “coloured” schools, 25.5% at former Model C schools and 65.5% at private schools saying it was a problem. Issues included dirty bathrooms, fear of disease and a lack of infrastructure with 80% saying there was no soap, 61.9% saying doors did not lock and 33% noting no bins for soiled pads.
Over 20% said there was no running water in basins or toilets, while 36% of Grade 11s said menstruation was not covered in life orientation classes.
The Rhodes award was made at an international community engaged learning symposium – aimed at identifying sustainable solutions to empower communities, instead of handouts – at the university last night. — davidm@dispatch.co.za
Top award for schoolgirl research
Dr Sharli Paphitis yesterday told the Dispatch a province-wide survey of 1035 Grade 11 girls – from poor rural schools to top private schools – revealed that 22.4% of respondents missed 18 days a year because of stigmas surrounding menstruation.
Although a lack of sanitary pads was a problem among poorer learners, Paphitis said a surprising fact to emerge was that the highest percentage of absenteeism was at former Model C schools.
“The research shows that it is not just economic, but that there is a stigma attached.”
After hearing about the problem three years ago, Paphitis teamed up with three other Rhodes University researchers focused on community engagement, philosophy and psychology to research the rumours and try come up with solutions.
Last night Paphitis, Lindsay Kelland, Catriona Macleod and Ryan du Toit were awarded the Rhodes vice-chancellor’s distinguished award for community engagement, by Dr Sizwe Mabizela.
When they started out, all the group had to go on were oral reports as no actual research had been done into the problem.
“I was shocked when I first heard girls were not going to school because they were menstruating, but it made sense,” Paphitis said.
“I thought, ‘why has nothing been done about this’ – and called a meeting.”
Although projects do exist to try and address women’s access to menstrual products, the researchers decided to look at the problem more holistically. This included surveying schoolgirls on what type of product they preferred (disposables or reusables), how much they spent on these products, if school bathrooms were safe, menstruation taboos and establishing a project with Grahamstown women to make cheap, washable pads able to last five years.
The researchers designed a 14-page survey that was sent to 24 schools across the province and found that girls were not just missing school because they did not have access to products but also because of taboos surrounding menstruation.
These taboos included women keeping menstruation secret as their bodily functions were seen as “dirty”, a fear of asking their parents for money to get sanitary products, getting teased if products did not work properly and their clothes were soiled, and being afraid to ask to go to the bathroom during class.
“The problem transcends economic boundaries, it is not just a problem among rural poor but also at private schools,” Paphitis said.
The study findings, not yet published and given to the Dispatch yesterday, can play a key role in improving gender equality.
Although some pupils suggested cheap silicone reusable tampons that lasted eight years as a solution, the study showed respondents preferred pads.
Almost 40% of respondents said they were restricted from participating in classroom activities when menstruating, while 47.8% said they were prevented from doing sport.
Most also did not feel safe using school bathrooms, with 75.8% at rural schools, 90.3% in township schools, 81% at “coloured” schools, 25.5% at former Model C schools and 65.5% at private schools saying it was a problem. Issues included dirty bathrooms, fear of disease and a lack of infrastructure with 80% saying there was no soap, 61.9% saying doors did not lock and 33% noting no bins for soiled pads.
Over 20% said there was no running water in basins or toilets, while 36% of Grade 11s said menstruation was not covered in life orientation classes.
The Rhodes award was made at an international community engaged learning symposium – aimed at identifying sustainable solutions to empower communities, instead of handouts – at the university last night. — davidm@dispatch.co.za
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